View full sizeKarl Kuntz, Columbus Dispatch"I was committed to the kids, and my brother would have been in shock if I had said, 'Do you think I ought to stop?'" says OSU running backs coach Dick Tressel on the suggestion that he could have left the Buckeyes after his brother was fired in May. "He'd have maybe punched me."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Nearly three months after his younger brother was forced to resign as Ohio State's head football coach, Dick Tressel posed for the Buckeyes' team photo Sunday afternoon.

While Ohio State separates itself from Jim Tressel and his NCAA violations, it continues to employ Dick Tressel for an 11th season.

"You're coaching kids and doing what's asked and people are counting on you, so to say, 'Nah, if they don't like my brother, I'm not going to be around here,' that wouldn't be sensible," Dick Tressel said Sunday, speaking to reporters for the first time about his brother's departure.

"I don't know why he's not coaching here, to tell you the truth. So it would be hard for me to decide, 'Oh, I shouldn't coach here, either.'"

That's exactly why the Tressel-Ohio State dynamic is so fascinating. Others can debate how Ohio State should have handled Jim Tressel's unethical conduct and how Tressel should have handled himself while committing those violations.

But this is blood. And Dick Tressel obviously has questions about his brother's exit.

"I don't think I see myself as different than anyone else. Every day in the paper, every time you talk to somebody, people wonder," Dick Tressel said. "So I still have my moments of wonder, but you've got to move forward."

Dick Tressel left his position as a successful Division III head coach to join his brother's staff 11 years ago. He's now entering his eighth season as running backs coach, and he's added additional special teams duties this year.

It would seem understandable if Tressel's employment had been ended by either side.

"I was a piece to a pretty tight-knit family," Dick Tressel said, meaning the OSU football family. "I think that you could get to the point where it terms of the family, you could cut off your nose to spite your face.

"Not that I would have been a significant loss if I had said, '[If] my brother's not good enough, I'm not good enough.' I don't know that that would have made much difference to this staff. But I was committed to the kids, and my brother would have been in shock if I had said, 'Do you think I ought to stop?' He'd have maybe punched me."

Dick Tressel said he never asked his brother that question. So one Tressel is gone from Ohio State. And one remains.

Sabino breaks hand: Junior Etienne Sabino, the projected starting strongside linebacker, had surgery on his left hand Sunday after breaking it in Saturday's team scrimmage. His arm was in a sling for the team's photo day, but he expects to be ready to play in the Sept. 3 season opener against Akron.

Sabino expects to be out for seven to 10 days, and then return to play in a cast. After sitting out last season as a redshirt, Sabino said he'd play even if doctors had to cut off his arm.

"I'm ready to hit somebody standing on the field right now," Sabino said Sunday, talking to reporters inside Ohio Stadium.

True freshman Ryan Shazier is probably the Buckeyes' No. 4 linebacker right now in a group lacking depth and is the most likely replacement if Sabino would be sidelined longer.

McVey, Fellows sidelined: Two backups continue to battle injuries that required surgery in the past and led to redshirt seasons. Sophomore defensive lineman Melvin Fellows of Garfield Heights and freshman linebacker Scott McVey of St. Ignatius aggravated injuries during preseason camp. Fellows reinjured his knee, while McVey is again bothered by his shoulder. Neither played in Saturday's scrimmage.

"It's hard not to get down, but I've been dealing with it my whole career," said Fellows, who was fine and practicing during the first week of camp but started having knee pain during the second week.

McVey also was practicing but tweaked his shoulder during a recent drill and is sitting out to be cautious, unsure how serious it is.

"I'm still trying to get back to my normal self," McVey said. "I just need to get my confidence back and my health and just quit thinking and get out there and play fast."

In other injury news, starting nickelback Tyler Moeller expects to practice Monday after missing more than a week with a strained groin. No. 2 tight end Reid Fragel is also ready to return after sitting out with a lingering staph infection.

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